It has been two decades after the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact on numerous musicians included, showcasing classic bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue than any of their records. It sold well over half a million copies upon release, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band had already completed a successful tour before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for cars, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community alive, with set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games might become like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
